How the Drilling Industry Has Become Safer

Since the first hydrocarbon well was drilled in 1859, the drilling industry has continued to make improvements in safety, performance, and environmental protection. There's no doubt that the original drillers from 100 years ago, in the world of boomtowns and gushers, would not recognize today's modern high-technology drilling rig fleet when compared to the wooden derricks they built. As time has passed, the principles of safety and responsible stewardship of the environment remain core values of the energy industry. Especially in today's world, the prevention of injuries and reduction of environmental impact is a critical need universally, whether in oil, geothermal, or other forms of energy production/development.The drilling industry's advancements in technology harmonize with the significant improvements in safety protocols, training, and overall safety culture. By integrating new technologies into its operations, the energy industry has significantly reduced the risk of injuries to its workforce and minimized the environmental impact of operations. Many tool and equipment improvements occur "downhole" – below the earth's surface. As the length and depth of wells have increased significantly, so has the reliability of the equipment used in the wellbore to drill the well. Improving the reliability of downhole motor, bits, and drill string designs significantly reduces the number of "trips" needed to drill a well. A "trip" is the process of pulling drillpipe from the wellbore or running the pipe back to the bottom of the wellbore. The manual work performed during a trip inherently increases the risk of an injury, and any time the drillpipe is removed from the wellbore, there is an increased risk of a well control event. Read out the full article here: https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/2023/09/18/how-the-drilling-industry-has-become-safer/.#drillingrigcontractoroilandgas#helmerichandpayne#rigcontractoroilandgas#drillingrighealthsafetyandenvironment